Exploring the Use of Mobile Athlete Self-report Measures in Elite Gaelic Games: A Qualitative Approach.

ABSTRACT: Duignan, CM, Slevin, PJ, Caulfield, BM, and Blake, C. Exploring the use of mobile athlete self-report measures in elite Gaelic games: A qualitative approach. J Strength Cond Res 35(12): 3491-3499, 2021-Athlete self-report measures (ASRMs) are used in research and practice as an accurate, practical, and accessible method of athlete monitoring. Mobile adaptations of constructs from validated ASRM have increasingly been used for athlete monitoring in various sports settings; however, insights on the user experience and perceived value of these systems in the applied team sport setting have been limited. This study aimed to portray the experiences of stakeholders using a pre-existing mobile ASRM (M-ASRM) in elite Gaelic games. Twenty-one stakeholders in elite Gaelic games were recruited for this study (players n = 10, coaches and support staff n = 11). Subjects completed a semistructured interview with the lead researcher regarding their experience of using an M-ASRM in practice. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was conducted using NVivo 12 software. Results were defined under the themes of positive and negative user experience. Positive user experience was portrayed through M-ASRM uses and perceived value: communication and information disclosure, remote player monitoring, decision making and advanced planning, and player education and self-management. Negative user experience was portrayed through M-ASRM challenges: player adherence, player dishonesty, coach time and expertise requirements, and sociotechnical and system factors. Results outline the major uses of M-ASRM in elite Gaelic games and, importantly, highlight the key challenges experienced by stakeholders. These results can be applied by coaches, sports medicine professionals, and sports scientists using or intending to use an M-ASRM, providing key considerations to employ for effective use in team sport.

Mobile Athlete Self-Report Measures and the Complexities of Implementation.

Recent practice in athlete monitoring has seen the development and implementation of customized, digital Athlete Self-Report Measures or Mobile Athlete Self-Report Measures (M-ASRM) across various sport settings, including amateur sports such as Gaelic Games. Successful implementation of M-ASRM requires significant consideration of the use context and limitations therein, an investment of time and expertise by staff and buy-in from key stakeholders, yet there is limited evidence of these considerations being applied in practice. This study aimed to investigate stakeholder perceptions regarding the implementation processes and understanding of a pre-existing M-ASRM in elite Gaelic Games. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the use of a topic guide to explore the rationale, introduction and use of M-ASRM. Participants were 21 M-ASRM users in elite Gaelic Games (players n = 10, coaches and support staff n = 11), from 15 teams. Thematic analysis was conducted collaboratively by two authors, adopting an inductive approach and coding the transcripts using NVivo 12 software. Four higher-order themes were formed from the data: (1) clarity of purpose; (2) implementation strategies; (3) players perceptions of use and (4) perceived facilitators of M-ASRM use. The results of this study demonstrate a significant underestimation of the practical requirements for successful implementation of an M-ASRM by users in elite Gaelic Games. Recommendations are made for implementation and best practice use, including shared decision-making, evidence-based education strategies, structured feedback channels and improved planning with regards to feasibility and responsibility.